Meet Iowa's top senior volleyball players

By Bret Hayworth | Photos by Matthew Putney  

Meet some of the top seniors playing Iowa high school volleyball in 2022, as the postseason now plays out. Many were All-Staters in one or more previous years, while others have expanded into the new roles on their teams this year, displaying top levels in the skills of spiking, setting, blocking, passing and serving. 

Sophia Armstrong, West Burlington

Senior middle hitter Armstrong leads WB in two statistical categories, with 70 blocks and 398 kills, which also ranks her 19th among all Iowa preps. Armstrong also hits at the impressive .471 efficiency, which places her second in the state.

Abby Bence, West Burlington

Setter Bence has passed our 902 assists this year, with Armstrong as a frequent target, which ranks her third among twelfth graders and sixth among all preps. West Burlington is highly ranked among Class 2A squads, with a 29-6 record.

Stephanie Boyer, Columbus Catholic

A libero with an excellent serve, Boyer leads the state in serving efficiency at 99.4 percent. She has only missed on two of 341 serves and leads the Class 2A Columbus squad with 409 digs.

Hannah Broek, Hull Western Christian

The Wofpack have a trio of senior players on this list, and setter Broek has 957 assists, which places her first among seniors, second among Class 2A players and third among all preps. Coming off a 2021 state runner-up year, HWC is 37-5.

Brooklyn Buysee, West Liberty

Setter Buysee has returned with stellar play one year after West Liberty placed second in the Class 3A tourney and Buysee was an all-stater. In 2022 her 827 assists ranked her 14th among all preps in that stat, and West Liberty is 28-7.

Lily Clark, Springville

Middle hitter Clark hits at .459 efficiency, which is fourth best in the state and third best among seniors. Also for the Class 1A Orioles, Clark has 185 kills and 62 blocks.

Chloe Cline, Pleasant Valley

Cline is a 6-1 middle blocker who excelled on the 2021 Class 5A title team, earning All-State honors. This year she has amassed 225 kills, which is second among players on the 25-6 PV team. Cline has 56 blocks.

Gabby Deery, Burlington Notre Dame

A 6-2 middle blocker, Deery was a prime player for the Notre Dame team that won the Class 1A title in 2021. Deery now has 476 kills for the season, placing her sixth among seniors, while hitting at .301 efficiency.

Lily Dykstra, Urbandale

An imposing 6-foot outside hitter, Dykstra had such a strong season in 2021 that she was an Elite All-State pick and announced plans to play at the University of Northern Iowa. In 2022, Dykstra is a top Class 5A performer, hitting at ,297, and with 464 kills, which places her fifth among seniors and seventh overall.

Aubrey Gates, Union Community

Gates plays for a Class 3A team and her 533 kills ranks second among seniors and fourth overall. The outside hitter also hits at .353 for the Union team with a 40-9 record.

Cadence Goebel, Le Mars Gehlen Catholic

Goebel is a key player on the Class 1A team that may be bound for another state tourney berth. Setter Goebel has 520 assists for the Jays, and also leads the squad with 35 blocks. Gehlen has a 20-7 record.

Cassidy Hartman, Iowa City Liberty

Hartman, a 5-10 middle blocker, has signed with Western Illinois University. She is one of three 2021 Elite All-Staters who returned for this year, and now has racked up a Liberty leading 442 kills, while hitting at .365 efficiency.

Nia Howard, Springville

Springville was the 2021 Class 1A runner-up, when 5-4 setter Howard was an All-State selection. Howard has 765 assists, to place 25th overall, while she also has 212 digs and 111 kills, a high amount for a setter.

Reagan Jansen, Sioux Center

Jansen stands 6-1 and, as an outside hitter, has racked up 296 kills and hits at .284 efficiency. She was a Class 3A All-Stater last year, and this year has helped the Warriors achieve a high winning percentage (28-3) and nab the Siouxland Conference title.

Shelby Kimm, Iowa City Liberty

A returning all-stater in Class 5A, the 6-0 outside hitter is helping her highly-ranked team (28-8) through her squad leading 356 digs and 35 aces. Additionally, Kimm has 288 kills, for second place among Lightning players.

Kayla Knowles, Denver

Knowles was a Class 2A All-State pick in 2021, and this year the 5-11 outside hitter leads all Iowa seniors in kills with 551, which also places her second among all players. She hits at .332 efficiency.

Olivia Lombardi, Des Moines Christian

Lombardi has committed to the University of Iowa program. One year after Class 3A All-State accolades, she leads the Lions (43-5) in digs with 479 as a libero. Lombardi also has 65 aces and serves at 95 percent. Her 520 successful serves is the most of all Iowa preps.

Monica Morales, West Liberty

Morales is a libero with the most digs of any player in Iowa, with 606. The Comets are 29-7 in Class 3A, and one year ago WL was the state tourney runner up.

Madelyn Norton, Dike-New Hartford

The Wolverines are aiming for a third consecutive Class 2A title, and 5-8 setter Norton directs the offense that holds ample spiker options. Norton led all preps in 2021 with 1,209 assists, and this year she has doled out 820, which puts Norton 15th. Her 204 digs place her third among Wolverine players, for a team with a 40-2 record.

Jadyn Rausch, North Tama

Setter Rausch is directing the offense for 36-4 North Tama, placing 23rd among all players in assists with 776. She also has 193 kills, to place her very highly in that stat for setters, and has also provided 190 digs for a well-rounded game.

Katie Remmert, Cedar Falls

Remmert is a 5-10 outside hitter with 346 kills, placing her 31st in that stat among all players and first among the Tigers players. She hits at .365 for a team hoping to surpass the Class 5A runner up placing of last year.

Peyton Robinson, Lisbon

Outside hitter Robinson was an All-Stater in 2021 as she compiled more than 1,400 career digs, and this year Lisbon climbed the rankings as the season went on. Robinson has put down 311 kills, which is second most among the Lions, and her 347 digs are tops for the team with a 36-2 record. She also hits at .378 efficiency.

Ava Schubert, Davenport Assumption

Class 3A Assumption is flying high with a 28-7 record, aided by 6-1 right side hitter Schubert, a returning All-Stater. In this season, Schubert has 294 kills to lead the Knights, plus leads the team with 53 aces, while hitting at .304.

Brynn Smith, AGWSR

Outside hitter Smith ranks 20th among all Iowa preps with 397 kills. She also hits at .220 and has pulled up 259 digs.

Avery Van Hook, Marion

Van Hook is a 5-9 setter who has committed to the University of South Dakota. The left-hander was a Class 4A All-Stater last year, and in 2022 she has 827 assists, which places her 13th among all players.

Abby VerBurg, Hull Western Christian

Western Christian is 37-5 and seeking to do better than the Class 2A runner up placing of 2021. VerBurg, a 5-10 outside hitter, leads the team with 433 kills and hits at .405, one year after she was an all-stater.

Halle Vice, Pleasant Valley

6-foot outside hitter Vice achieved All-State status in aiding PV to the 2021 Class 5A crown. This year Vice leads the team with 226 kills, hits at .230 and has amassed 181 digs.

Stella Winterfeld, Hull Western Christian

Winterfeld is a returning Class 2A All-Stater. This year the 5-10 hitter leads the Wolfpack in 37 ace serves and is second in kills with 431, narrowly trailing teammate VerBurg by two.

Editor’s Note: The statistics cited in this story were compiled through October 18.